As cooking oil shortages grow in Europe, a Munich bar has turned to bartering.
A Munich bar has demanded that customers pay for cooking oil for their beer. 80% of the world’s sunflower oil is exported from Ukraine and Russia.
Many European countries, including Germany, have been reeling from shortages of cooking oil and gas since Russia launched an invasion of neighboring Ukraine in February.
It was at this point that a Munich pub made the odd decision to turn to barter. Accordingly, instead of a liter of sunflower oil, it provides beer lovers with the same amount of beer they like.
The pub administrators said that they came to this conclusion when the stock of cooking oil was completely empty. Sunflower oil shortages have become more acute since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Many shops and malls in the country have imposed restrictions on oil bottles for customers. The pub manager said that if only 15 liters are allowed, while 30 liters of oil are required per week, it will not be possible to prepare food.
He mentioned that since the introduction of the barter system, 400 liters of oil have been exchanged by customers so far. A liter of beer sells for 7 euros in German pubs.
But a liter of sunflower oil costs only 4.5 euros. It is also said that this may have motivated the customers more.
It is noteworthy that a person who went to Ukraine due to humanitarian action bought 80 liters of sunflower oil from there and gave it to buy beer for his birthday celebration.